A little windy today, but who cares?  The generators at Table Rock Dam are off.  Scheduled to be off until noon or 1:00 p.m. today when they will start ramping up and run generators the balance of the day.  Beautiful day!

If you can get to the river, go!  Talked to a couple of our guides who are on the water playing and they said you could look up and down the river and see fly rods bent everywhere so almost everything is working.  Gray scuds, olive scuds, tan ones too.  Ruby midges, copper dun, P&P are all hooking fish.  Olive wooly buggers, olive filoplume, holographic green cracklebacks are being chased.  

Forgot to report on one of Stan’s trips this past Saturday.  He had Troy, from Warrensburg, on the water for half a day.  They had a great day on the Big Ruby, a holographic green crackleback and the big black thorax red butt soft hackle.   Also, Bill, who had to try a second day to make certain he got it right, caught a bunch more fish on Tuesday.  Tuesday, they caught fish on the red size 16 Copper John, a size 16 pheasant tail as well as the olive bug-eye bugger and size 18 ruby midge. 

Still generating water 24/7, but the levels have usually been where a person could do some wade fishing, especially below outlet 3 in the hatchery area.  This morning was an exception as they raised it as high as 706.3 this morning around 8:00 a.m.  Hopefully, it will drop back into the 704-705 range for most of the day.  Beautiful weather!  Sunny, no rain, and temperatures in the 70s.  Picked up a light breeze yesterday around 10:30 a.m. but nothing like it was on Friday.  Almost blew me off my feet a couple times.  By 11:00 a.m. today, they shut the generators down to one and it has dropped, so far, to a level of  704.8. 

As we said in one of our earlier Newsletters, we expected the fishing and quality of fish to be great this year.  So far, it is certainly the case.  We had one of our customers, who fishing all over the U.S., come in the other day and said that the fish in Taneycomo are the most healthy, fiesty, fish he has fished for during his travels over the past several months.  On all our trips, we have noted now hard even the smallest trout are fighting and how fat all of them are.  They are eating well and full of energy which really make for great fishing!.

Bill – 04-30-10

Friday, Carolyn finished up the two-day school with Bill and Carolyn from Arkansas, by taking them on their work-day fly fishing trip.  They do the knots and rigging for the various presentation methods we worked on in class the day before.  Once Bill started catching fish stripping the holographic green crackleback, class was pretty well over.  Too windy to try false casting, but they did get feel for shooting line, so we were okay.  Carolyn wanted to master midge and nymph fishing as that is what they do a lot of on the Beaver tailwater.  Other than the wind, it was an awesome day with the crackleback, big Ruby, pink mega San Juan, and size 18 Ruby.  Keep it up guys, it only gets better.

Jan – 5-02-10

Saturday, Gary and Jan from Texas, ventured onto the water with Carolyn.  Jan had had a few experiences with a fly rod, but not a whole lot.  Gary had done a little more, but welcomed some slight suggestions to work on.  Fishing a little slower than Friday, but it was still a very good day.  The big Ruby with the mega pink San Juan fished well all the way down to Fall Creek.  For stripping, the holographic green crackleback hooked a few, but the star was a size 10 black thorax, red butt, soft hackle under the sinking leader  It was a bit overcast Saturday so the darker color worked best.   Jan’s only complaint was that I made her hold a fish.  She was just kidding…I hope!   We had one nice "team" fish.  Trying a different pattern, I hooked into a fat 19 inch rainbow.  Jan skillfully brought it in.  So fat, she had to use both hands to get around it.  Meanwhile, Gary is down stream, stripping and  hooking on the red butt soft hackle.

Monday, our 50th state paid us a visit.  Wayne and Colleen, from Hawaii, took a full day float with Jim.  Weird day.  Fish ere hitting steamers very well, but they were definitely short striking or just bumping them.  Lots of hits, not as  many hookups!  They caught fish on the red midge with a size 18 black thorax midge and the size 12 bug-eyed bugger.  Carolyn had Mike and Jan from Oklahoma out again.  Glad to say Mike is starting to see a little.  He lost his sight very unexpected last year, but certainly not his love for the outdoors and especially fly fishing.  We had a fun day.  Laughed a lot and said lots of words to those fish which were bump and running from our streamers.  Finished up the day, hooking a bunch (technical term) on the big Ruby with the size 18 ruby midge dropper.  Had to almost pry Jan off the water.  That lady loves to fish!   Stan had Bill from Arizona out all day.  Bill had such a great day, he decided he needed to try it again today.  They fished the bug-eyed bugger and the big Ruby with the little ruby yesterday.  This 91 year old youngester also loves to fish and was certainly ready to hit it again today!

Windy day on Taneycomo yesterday.  As a matter of fact, it was windy all over the area.  Flag straight out over the Table Rock Dam and white caps on the lake!  Table Rock now below 915.0 feet and Beaver is at 1123.9.  Yesterday and today, the projection for generation is 33 mwh.  Must say they did run a little higher than this yesterday and we will see what they do today.  Any bets? 

One of Judy’s first fish! – 4-29-10

Chuck and Judy from Oklahoma, were introduced to fly fishing yesterday by Stan.  They are in love!  Wonderful day on the water using the big Ruby midge.  They had beginners luck with the weather as the wind didn’t really pick up until late morning so their half day trip gave them enough time without the wind to get the feel for casting and catching. 

Got some rain, and by Friday evening, the Table Rock Lake level starting rising.  By early Sunday, it had gone up to 915.5.  So, guess what the generation schedule did.  Even though the projections were saying no generation Sunday or Monday, they turned on three generators Sunday and all four today to try and get rid of the new water coming into Table Rock.  Running some out of Beaver also today.  The Table Rock level is now down to 915.2.  We are making progress again.  Weather is clear until Thursday, when we have a chance of rain.  Temperatures will be in the 70s.

Gina and Carolyn left Thursday for Charleston, SC.  Hoped to do some red fish fishing while we were attending the International Women’s Fly Fishing Festival, but the same rain that came through Branson came through SC and we were cancelled due to high winds……maybe next time.   Thursday, Stan had Marvin from Indiana, and Richard from Kansas (member of Flatlanders Fly Fising Group) on the water for a half day.  They had a wonderful day.  Fished the red midge and a large black hackle, black thorax, red butt soft hackle on a sink tip line.  This was one of Marvin’s best days!  Dana was also out for half a day with Jim Houx from Warrensburg.  They had a good day on the red midge and a #12, olive bug-eyed bugger. 

Saturday, Darrell was out with Malcomb and Dan from the St. Louis area.  They caught some fish before the storms started rolling in and then it was head for the barn!!!

Sunday both Jim and Stan were out all day.  Jim had Sandy, from Kansas, out again.  She had a good day on the red midge, orange San Juan worm and a size 8 bug-eyed bugger.  Just put the boats in when two generators came on and about an hour latter, the third on came on.  Messed up the water a bit, but everyone caught fish.  Stan had Bob and Bill, also from Kansas, out.  They had a wonderful day on the big ruby midge.  Dana, and his guest, Jeff from here in Missouri, caught their fish on the #12 bug-eyed bugger, red midge and stripping the holographic green crackleback.  Would have caught even more if they had a hook on their fly at one time!

Yes, as I write this, the generators at Table Rock are OFF!  They followed their projection today which was no generation from midnight to 6:00 a.m.  Then two generators from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  From 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. no generation.  At 6:00 p.m. they are scheduled to turn on two.  Yesterday was a low two generators all day as was the day before.  Nice, warm, sunny days so far this week, but we do have a chance for showers tomorrow and again on Friday, Saturday and possibly Sunday.  We missed them last week, let’s hope that is the case again this week.

Stan and Carolyn had a rowdy group of guys on the water Monday.  Dan and Russ were with Stan, and Jim and Rich were brave enough to go out with Carolyn in her "Cackelcraft".  Little slow start in the morning on midges, but once we switched over to the sinking line with an olive bug-eyed bugger, the action certainly picked up.  Great day on the water.  The overcast sky gave way to a nice balmy, sunny day.  Continued catching fish throughout the run on either the bugger or the red tungsten beadhead midge.  

Rich – 4/19/10	Jim – 4/19/10

Meredith – 4/19/10

Meredith, from Indiana, was on the water with Dana all day.  They had a wonderful day on the red midge, peach egg and #12 bug-eyed  bugger.  When they got back to the shop, Meredith had to have a picture with Dana.  Said he "wanted to have a picture with the guy who gave him his best day ever on the water!" 

Carolyn out for half day instructional trip with Sharon from here in Missouri.  We started out work on the roll cast, moved on to the pick up and lay down cast.  with a little more practice, she will have a very nice cast.  We got on the water while it was still dropping.  Learned a couple knots, and she tied on the red midge.  We caught a few fish on this, but it certainly was not fast and furious.  About noon, the water was just about at normal tailwater level and the fish were coming up everywhere.  so, how about a holographic green crackleback?  She tied on one of these and we actually checked once to see if we were missing a fly when we did not get a hit or fish after stripping through them with no results.

Guess the generators off for six hours Friday morning was a fluke.  One or two generators continue to run 24/7, but they are keeping the tailwater level between 704 and 705 feet.  Today, they are running one generator, with the level at 704.5.  Dodged the bullet for rain Friday.  Looks like we are in for a week of party sunny (instead of mostly cloudy) and temperatures in the upper 60s and middle 70s.  Next possibility of rain not until Friday.

Friday we were invaded by the Jayhawk state.  A group of guys, lead by A.W. from Kansas, decided to do an endurance run down Taneycomo with Dana, Darrell and Jim.  It was a day of yelling, hooking, missing, and just plain fun for A.W., David, Adam, Brent, and Michael.  Good day on the water with the big ruby still the best producer. 

A.W. – 04/16/10	Adam – 04/16/10
Michael – 04/16/10	Brent – 04/16/10
A.W. – 04/16/10	Not sure what these two are doing!

 Jim was out with Dick and his son, Rich, from Delaware.  Caught fish on the red midge, gray scud and #16 red ass soft hackle.  Little problem they noticed while fishing was the algae and "gunk" that is starting to die out in this low water is breaking loose and causing some problems with keeping your flies clean.  Now we will be wanting them to kick up the generators to clear some of this out. 

Don’t get too excited, but the generators were off from midnight until 6:00 a.m. this morning.  Otherwise, they have been running two generators the past two days with the tailwater level fluctuating between 705 and 704 feet.  Yesterday, it stayed at 704.7 from about noon until they turned them off at midnight.  So far today, once they started up, the level has been around 704.7.  Weather is great…in a word.  We are expecting some showers late this afternoon which will cool us down a little.  More back to seasonal temperatures instread of the 70s and 80s we have been having. 

Stan on the water all day Wednesday with Jack from Colorado.  Said he came out to check on how one could fly fish in Missouri!  Jack has been fly fishing for some time and is good fisher.  He was very impressed with our fishery.  He had a very good day on the big Ruby with the #18 ruby dropper.  Got to throw a sink tip line and work some wooly buggers, which he really liked.  Caught lots of fish on this too.  

Wanda – 4/14/10

Carolyn had Wanda and Joanna out for half a day.  They both needed an "attitude adjustment".  Neither had been on the water for months!  The first fish on made it better, but it just kept improving all morning and into the early afternoon.  We had a wonderful day on the rubys and the holographic green crackleback.  Attitudes adjusted until the next time! 

Jim had a half day with Barry and Susan from Washington.  Barry went to catch fish and he did on the red and black midges.  Susan went along for the boat ride and thoroughly enjoyed the day…as did Barry!  Beautiful day on the water.

Carolyn on the water all day Thursday with a couple guys she had out last year.  Mark is from Pennsylvania and Rich is a displaced New Jersey guy who now lives in Kansas.  They could not believe the difference in the water conditions from what they experienced last year.  We had extremely high water and high winds when they were here before.  This year they saw places that were previously under water.  Got off to a little slow start in the morning, but certainly made up for it before and after lunch.  Almost had to drag Rich away kicking and screaming for just one more cast!  Good day for these guys, especially on the golden variant sculpin, olive filoflume, and olive bug-eyed bugger.  Also caught some on the big ruby with the #18 ruby dropper, but stripping streamer patterns using the intermediate sink leader was our most productive method.  Think we’ll see them again next year when this group has their annual gathering and fishing tournament.

Rich – 4/16/10	Mark – 4/16/10

 Neil is a local.  He lives in Reeds Spring.  Said he wanted to get back into fly fishing, improve, and learn a few more things.  Spent half a day on the water with Stan yesterday.  Didn’t take long for him to get back in to fly fishing.  Had a good day on the ruby midge combo, stripping an olive wooly bugger, and even caught a few on a black, size 19 soft hackle.  What a blast.  Had a great day and accomplished everything he want to.

Weather is still great.  Sun is shining, not too much wind, and the water is much lower.  Level stayed between 704 and 705 feet most of the yesterday.  Guides out said they saw land they hadn’t seen for a while.  Projection for today is the same for both weather and generation pattern.  Table Rock is at 914.9 and Beaver is still holding at 1124.2.   We are even seeing waders in the water again!  At 704 feet, there are definitely places to wade.  Gina sent Rick, from Concordia to the Rocking Chair area with the #16 red midge and olive wooly bugger.  He caught fish and is really impressed with the Taneycomo fishery.

Jim was out all day Monday and half of yesterday with Sharon and Craig, from Illinois.  Craig is a fly fisher, and Sharon was learning the "ropes" or "line" .  They had a couple of good outtings with some nice quality fish (nice term for fat!).  The red midge, black midge and orange San Juan were used yesterday.  Missed a lot of fish as the takes were very soft.  Tuesday the red midge and the size 18 black midge were the best patterns.   Sharon was getting the casting and line work down and think she might just become a fly fisher!

Stan had Jim, from Virginia, out for half a day Tuesday.  Jim fished many years ago when he was young and while he was stationed in the Air Force up in Alaska.  Decided it was time to get back into fly fishing and came by to see us.  Got some good time in on Taneycomo and caught lots of fish.  Little more practice and he’ll feel like he never laid the fly rod down.  Their best patterns were the big ruby with the size 18 ruby dropper, the holographic green crackleback, and on the float out, they dropped the burgundy midge from the big ruby and caught several on this pattern. 

The couple, Fran and Mark, who took the 2-day school Friday and Saturday forwarded some of their pictures, so I have to include Fran, with her first fish on a fly rod, and Mark with one of his catches of the day.

Fran – 4/10/10	Mark – 4/10/10

Weather continues to be great.  Sunshine, still a little breezy during the day, but no rain!  They are still generating 24/7, but have cut back the flow a little.  Instead of fishing 14000 cubic feet per second (cfs), we are only fishing in 6000-8500 cfs most of the time.  Table Rock is now at 915.2 with Beaver holding as 1124.2. 

Jim had Bob and Mary, from Jefferson City on the water Friday.  They had a great day and Mary caught the largest fish.  Bob said he caught the second largest.  Right Bob!  The red midge is still doing the job.  Even though the water fluctuated a lot during the time they were out, it fished steady.

Carolyn on the water all day with Mark and Frank from Richmond.  This couple took the two day school and I hink they were way ahead of the game or very quick learners.  Already had their knots down and Fran is throwing some nice tight loops with Mark getting a lot of line out.  We worked midges, streamers, soft hackles and a little bit on dries during the day.  This was Fran’s first trout on a fly rod and she caught several.  Although we tried matching the black and olive zebra midges early on, the color they wanted was the holographic red size 18 midge.   Between this and the olive filoplume.  Had a few hits on the golden variant sculpin and just a little action on the holographic green crackleback.  Most of the fish caught were nice and fat!  Good luck to these two fly fishers!  Hope they are a pair on the water for a long time.

Another pretty day, but WINDY.  Table Rock is sitting at 915.6 and no rain in sight for a few days.  Unfortunately, Beaver is still holding 1124.2 feet.  At least it is not rising.  Projection for today is 125 mwh.  This will probably be done with four generators, but is less flow that we have been experiencing.  Earlier in the week, the cfs was at 14000.  At 125 mwh, it should be around 8500 cfs.  Not where we want it, but better.  They are releasing some out of Beaver today. 

Jim had Jim and Charlie, from Springfield, on the water yesterday morning.  Good day on the red midge and San Juan dropper.  Had once nice 18" heavy rainbow that took Charlie to the backing a couple times.  Bad news was the wind.  Blew them off anchor three times.  Tailwater level held pretty steady at 808.4.  Nice fishing two feet shallower water for a change.  Good quality fish, and steady fishing all morning and early afternoon.